"What do you mean?

"What do you mean?" "I mean to say that marriage won't be successful unless it is founded on progressive norms. A modern girl won't have a good marriage unless she is released from family pressure and is free to choose the man she wants to marry." Sumayah said, "Family ties, which you call pressure, are for the benefit of the whole family. In any case, I have been free to choose Ahmad." Fitnah then said, "You will be faithful to him, I'm sure. But men are unlike women.

They cheat their wives by various methods. They exploit women by referring to religious instructions, which imprison women in their homes." "Why do you consider a woman's own home to be a prison?" Sumayah asked. Fitnah replied, "A woman cannot keep her eyes on her man unless she accompanies him on his trips and parties! A woman who sits in her house and leaves her husband free to enjoy himself cannot have a happy life." "Oh, you don't know what a wonderful man Ahmad is.

I wish you knew him." Fitnah remained silent for a moment and, trying to sound normal, said, "I have never seen him." "When you meet him, you will change your ideas about Muslim believers." Fitnah suddenly stood up and said, "I must leave now. I am going to a party tonight." Sumayah was surprised by her cousin's abrupt departure.

She walked with her to the door and then returned to her mother, who asked, "Why have you been sitting on the balcony all alone?" "I was not alone," Sumayah told her, "Fitnah has just left." "What has she told you? I am sure she speaks about nothing but Europe and western so-called civilization." "You are quite right, mama!" "Woe to her! Has not it been enough for her to spoil her own nature? Can she not stop herself from pouring her poisonous words into your ears?

She is afraid of talking in my presence; that is why she preferred to sit on the balcony! She is Satan himself." Sumayah said, "Oh, mama! She is your niece. You shouldn't talk about her like that!" "I don't like her manners and her deviated behaviour." Sumayah's mother told her. "She has caused her mother's death. My sister never condoned her daughter's bad behavior. Now tell me, what did she say to you?" "Mother dear, forget it.

She never has ill intentions." "I wish you knew her real character so that you would not be tempted to listen to her." "Oh mama, take it easy. I never agree with her ideas, but I do not agree with you in calling her a Satan. She is my cousin." Sumayah went to her own room, trying to forget Fitnah’s words.